If he hadn't gotten a new talent selection method from Zhao Chen and the opportunity at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Li Shimin wouldn't have taken action so quickly.
But all the ministers did not want to see the emperor monopolizing power, especially those ministers with aristocratic families standing behind them.
They had to argue with the emperor for their own interests.
"Your Majesty, the reform of the imperial examination system is absolutely inappropriate. The imperial examination system is inherited from the former Sui Dynasty. After decades of verification, there are no problems at all. If the system is reformed rashly, many unexpected hidden dangers will inevitably arise."
"Zuo of the Tang Dynasty has various aristocratic families involved. If we change the system rashly, we will definitely offend these aristocratic families. In this way, there may be chaos!"
"I believe that what your Majesty said is inappropriate. The reform of the imperial examination system should be discussed from the beginning and should not be carried out rashly."
"His Majesty……"
Soon, the court hall became a mess.
Many ministers spoke out and opposed Li Shimin's reform of the imperial examination system.
Fang Xuanling wanted to speak before, but when she heard the objections of so many people behind her, she was not ready to speak at the moment.
Li Shimin's face turned dark.
However, the reactions of these ministers made Li Shimin determined that the imperial examination system must be reformed.
"You keep saying it's for the Tang Dynasty, but what happened is that Wang Ji, a great scholar from the Wang family in Taiyuan, couldn't compare to a common man at the Mid-Autumn Poetry Festival?"
"Chu Suiliang grew up in a scholarly family. Why does he claim to be ill today and dare not see me?"
"The so-called great scholar, the great minister of the Tang Dynasty, can't even guess a lantern riddle?"
"I feel ashamed!" Li Shimin stood up and shouted loudly.
All the courtiers in the hall suddenly fell silent.
At the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Wang Ji was defeated by a commoner in Chang'an City. From that time on, His Majesty the Emperor spoke of reforming the imperial examination system.
But what is the meaning of guessing lantern riddles?
"Fang Xiang, did you guess the lantern riddle I was waiting for you yesterday?" Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling and said coldly.
"Your Majesty, I am so stupid that I haven't guessed it yet. Please punish me!" Fang Xuanling looked stern and said to Li Shimin quickly.
He has a feeling that today's reform of the imperial examination system is 80% likely to pass.
It's just that at the prince's place...
"What kind of lantern riddle can't even guess the phase of the house?"
"I don't know, your Majesty, it seems that Chu Suiliang said he was ill today and couldn't come back because he couldn't solve the lantern riddle."
"Isn't it true? There are lantern riddles in the world that even Chu Suiliang can't solve?"
"Who is so powerful that he can come up with such a difficult lantern riddle?"
The ministers who were afraid to speak after being reprimanded by Li Shimin just now were full of curiosity now.
There were various discussions in the court again!
"Prime Minister, you disappoint me!" Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling and said slowly.
Fang Xuanling's expression was stagnant. She didn't know whether the emperor was talking about guessing lantern riddles or whether he was not on the side of His Majesty the Emperor.
"I am guilty, Your Majesty, I have a objection." Fang Xuanling took a deep breath and said to Li Shimin.
Fang Xuanling felt that no matter who the future leader of the Tang Dynasty was, he could not confront the emperor now.
The emperor had just said those words.
Fang Xuanling knew that if she didn't speak anymore, she would probably pack her things and leave.
"Say." Li Shimin said coldly.
"Why don't we leave the lantern riddle that His Majesty said yesterday to the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty. If anyone can guess it, we can discuss the reform of the imperial examination in the future."
"If the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty cannot guess it, then we will follow your Majesty's instructions and reform the imperial examination system!" Fang Xuanling said slowly.
"Prime Minister, how could you say such a thing?"
"Prime Minister, the reform of the imperial examination system will cause great harm. You are endangering the Tang Dynasty."
"Fang Xuanling, I'm afraid you're not crazy!"
Fang Xuanling's words attracted criticism from all the civil and military officials in the court.
Of course, these people are all vested interests in the imperial examination system.
"Quiet!" the eunuch on the side scolded coldly.
It was his first time to go to court with the emperor, so he naturally had to behave better.
Li Shimin nodded with satisfaction and looked at Fang Xuanling: "What the Prime Minister said makes sense, just like what the Prime Minister said."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Fang Xuanling said with cupped hands.
That is, he has already taken out yesterday's lantern riddle from his arms.
After returning home, Fang Xuanling thought about it for a long time, but could not figure out the answer!
At that time, he realized that His Majesty the Emperor would definitely make a fuss about this lantern riddle.
But Fang Xuanling didn't expect that it was related to the imperial examination system.
Fang Xuanling was extremely curious at this moment, who told the emperor about the shortcomings of the imperial examination system.
He also said something to make the emperor forcefully reform the imperial examination, despite the opposition of the ministers and the pressure from the wealthy families.
Could this lantern riddle also come from that mysterious person?
Who is that person?
Many thoughts came to Fang Xuanling's mind in an instant.
"Colleagues, I have been thinking about this lantern riddle all night, but I still don't have any clue."
"Fang Xuanling is here, please!" Fang Xuanling showed the lantern riddle to everyone and said slowly.
"What lantern riddle can make the prime minister think about it all night long, and Chu Suiliang doesn't dare to go to court?" Cheng Yaojin walked over with a smile.
"Old Cheng, do you understand? Haha!" someone behind him joked.
"What the heck do you know!" Cheng Yaojin's face was filled with displeasure when his shorts were uncovered.
"If you are four years old, can you make a pear?"
"Is this a riddle? Isn't this an allusion?"
"It seems that the ordinary word splitting method cannot solve this lantern riddle!"
"It's really weird, I've never seen such a riddle before!"
The ministers in the court came over one after another, frowning as they looked at the lantern riddles written on the paper.
They were far behind Chu Suiliang. How could they guess the answer to this riddle?
Many officials felt their hearts sinking at that time, secretly thinking that the reform of the imperial examination system was probably inevitable!
"How? Can anyone guess it?" Li Shimin said slowly.
But I felt a little proud that I had figured out this lantern riddle myself.
Although I guessed it after the prompts from Queen Changsun.
Wait, Guanyin’s strange look yesterday seemed...
Damn it, couldn't it be that little bastard Zhao Chen who told Guanyin the answer and asked Guanyin to come back to remind him?
Li Shimin suddenly felt uneasy in his heart.
I also want to deal with Zhao Chen properly after leaving the court today.
But if this is the answer, he asked Guanyin to remind him...
Suddenly, Li Shimin felt unhappy.
"Speak!" Li Shimin suddenly shouted violently.
This shocked the thinking ministers all over the court.
Their faces changed drastically, and many of them even turned pale.
He secretly wondered what happened to His Majesty the Emperor today, his mood was so changeable.
"Wei Zheng, have you guessed it?" Li Shimin looked at Wei Zheng and said coldly.
"Your Majesty, you are stupid!" Wei Zheng said, cupping his hands.
"This is my buttocks. I am a scholar and a scholar. You can't even guess a lantern riddle. I think you are the ones who are harming the Tang Dynasty!"
"I am guilty!" Everyone panicked and said quickly.
Who would have thought that the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were really stumped by a lantern riddle.